Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Yosherry’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Yosherry’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and full plant habit; uniform and freely flowering habit; decorative-type inflorescences with elongated oblong-shaped ray florets; dark bronze-colored ray florets; and natural season flowering in early October in the Northern Hemisphere.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Yosherry’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium, commercially known as a garden-type Chrysanthemum and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Yosherry’.

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Salinas, Calif. and Alva, Fla. The objective of the breeding program is to create new garden-type Chrysanthemum cultivars having inflorescences with desirable inflorescence forms, attractive floret colors and good garden performance.

The new Chrysanthemum originated from a cross-pollination made in December, 2000 in Salinas, Calif. of the Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar Barbara, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,607, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 93-L372002, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination grown in a controlled environment in Alva, Fla. in October, 2001. The selection of this plant was based on its desirable inflorescence form, attractive floret coloration and good garden performance.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Alva, Fla. since January, 2002, has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Yosherry has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Yosherry’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Yosherry’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and full plants.     -   3. Uniform and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Decorative-type inflorescences with elongated oblong-shaped         ray florets.     -   5. Dark bronze-colored ray florets.     -   6. Natural season flowering in early October in the Northern         Hemisphere.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the female parent, the cultivar Barbara, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were larger and more rounded         than plants of the cultivar Barbara.

2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered about two to three weeks later than plants of the cultivar Barbara.

-   -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the cultivar Barbara         differed in ray floret coloration as plants of the cultivar         Barbara had dark lavender-colored ray florets.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered about seven to ten         days earlier than plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the male parent selection         differed in ray floret coloration as plants of the male parent         selection had red-colored ray florets.     -   3. Inflorescences of plants of the new Chrysanthemum had fewer         disc florets than inflorescences of plants of the male parent         selection.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the Chrysanthemum cultivar Empire Harmony, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,830. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Empire Harmony in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were slightly smaller than         plants of the cultivar Empire Harmony.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered about five days         later than plants of the cultivar Empire Harmony when grown         under natural season conditions.     -   3. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum resisted         fading longer than ray florets of plants of the cultivar Empire         Harmony.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can also be compared to plants of the Chrysanthemum cultivar Orange Padre, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Orange Padre in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were smaller and more rounded         than plants of the cultivar Orange Pedre.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered about one to two         weeks later than plants of the cultivar Orange Padre.     -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had slightly smaller         inflorescences with fewer disc florets than plants of the         cultivar Orange Padre.     -   4. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had longer lasting         inflorescences than plants of the cultivar Orange Padre.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Chrysanthemum. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Chrysanthemum.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Yosherry’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises a close-up view of typical inflorescences of the cultivar ‘Yosherry’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Leamington, Ontario, Canada during the late summer and early fall in an outdoor nursery under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial garden-type Chrysanthemum production. One cutting was planted in a 15.25-cm container in mid-July, 2004. Plants were grown under natural season conditions. During the production of the plants, temperatures ranged from 10° to 32° C. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar     Yosherry. -   Commerical classification: Decorative-type garden Chrysanthemum. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar             Barbara, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,607.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number             93-L372002, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About four days at 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—About ten to twelve days             at 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/growth habit.—Perennial herbaceous             decorative-type garden Chrsanthemum. Inverted triangle with             mounded crown. Stems initially upright, then outwardly             spreading. Freely branching with about 13 primary branches             with lateral branches potentially forming at every node.             Moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 23.5 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 41 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 23 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm.             Internode length: About 1.1 cm. Aspect: Upright and             outwardly spreading. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 146A.         -   Foliage description.—Leaf arrangement: Alternate. Length:             About 4.7 cm. Width: About 3.4 cm. Apex: Mucronate. Base:             Attenuate. Margin: Palmately lobed, sinuses mostly             divergent. Texture, upper surface: Slightly pubescent.             Texture, lower surface: Pubescent; veins prominent. Color:             Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface: More             green than 147A. Developing and fully expanded foliage,             lower surface: Close to 147A. Venation, upper surface: More             green than 147A. Venation, lower surface: Close to 147A.             Petiole length: About 1.75 cm. Petiole diameter: About 3 mm.             Petiole color, upper surface: More green than 147A. Petiole             color, lower surface: Close to 147A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Decorative-type inflorescence form with             elongated oblong-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences borne on             terminals above foliage, arising from leaf axils. Ray             florets developing acropetally on a capitulum. Very freely             flowering, about 24 inflorescences per lateral branch.         -   Flowering response.—Under natural season conditions, plants             flower in early October in the Northern Hemisphere.         -   Inflorescence bud (before showing color).—Height: About             4.5 mm. Diameter: About 6 mm. Shape: Oblate. Color (lower             surface of phyllaries): Darker green than 147A.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 2.9 cm. Depth (height):             About 1.3 cm. Disc diameter: About 3 mm; inconspicuous.             Receptacle diameter: About 3.5 mm.         -   Ray florets.—Shape: Elongated oblong. Length: About 1.4 cm.             Width: About 6 mm. Corolla tube length: About 2.5 mm.             Corolla tube diameter: About 1 mm. Apex: Acute to             emarginate. Margin: Fused. Texture: Smooth, glabrous;             satiny. Surface: Concave to mostly flat. Orientation:             Initially upright, then perpendicular to the peduncle.             Number of ray florets per inflorescence: About 134 in             numerous whorls. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close             to 6A and 9A overlain with close to 45A and 46A and 53A.             When opening, lower surface: Close to 6C to 6D underlain             with close to 53A. Fully opened, upper surface: 6A and 9A             more faintly overlain with close to 45A and 46A and 53A.             Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 6C to 6D more faintly             underlain with close to 53A.         -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular, elongated. Length: About 4 mm.             Width, apex: About 1 mm. Width, base: About 1 mm. Number of             disc florets per inflorescence: About five to ten. Color:             Immature: Close to 154A. Mature: Apex: Close to 9A.             Mid-section and base: Close to 155D.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 16. Length:             About 7.5 mm. Width: About 2.5 mm. Shape: Ligulate. Apex:             Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper             surface: Smooth, waxy. Texture, lower surface: Pubescent.             Color, upper surface: Close to 146A. Color, lower surface:             More green than 147A.         -   Peduncle.—Length: First peduncle: About 7.7 cm. Fourth             peduncle: About 11.25 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength:             Strong. Aspect: About 35° to 40° from vertical. Texture:             Pubescent. Color: 144A to 146A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Anther length: Less than 1 mm. Anther color: 9A.             Amount of pollen: None observed. Gynoecium: Present on both             ray and disc florets. Style length: About 4 mm. Style color:             Close to 154D. Stigma color: Close to 9A.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not     been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Chrysanthemums. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have been     observed to be tolerant to rain, wind and temperatures ranging from     0° to more than 38° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Yosherry’, as illustrated and described. 